Users have difficulty in information acquisition with the use of mobile information terminals in outdoor environments. A user usually tries to acquire information by recognizing a name and the like of such a target object as a building in advance. Therefore, the user can acquire information by using the name and the like of the target object as retrieval keys. However, there is a case that a user wants to acquire information of a target object existing within a range which can be seen from a position of the user in an outdoor environment. There is also a case that a user wants to acquire information of a target object at the front of the user. In such cases, the user does not have keys for information retrieval. Therefore, the user has difficulty in accurate information retrieval and information acquisition.
A sensor function is an important element for achieving comfortable information acquisition in outdoor environments. In recent years, high-precision small GPS (Global Positioning System) modules have come into wide use. For example, user navigation service is provided based on positional information detected by a small GPS provided to an information terminal, and map information and service information stored in a server. Therefore, even in outdoor environments, a user can carry out information retrieval by using the current position of the user as a key and acquire information of surroundings.
Spread of broadband mobile communication is another important element. Advancement in wired and wireless communication technologies accelerates the spread of wireless LAN terminals and third-generation portable phones, and thus makes high-speed data communication possible. Since high-speed data transfer has become possible, mobile information terminals become possible to provide applications such as television telephone, which require large data.
The progress in such elements makes it possible to achieve more comfortable information acquisition in mobile environment. Accordingly, it is considered that users will demand more various ways of information acquisition. Much consideration has been made with respect to ways of information acquisition in mobile environment. Related art to the various ways of information acquisition are disclosed as follows.
Japanese Patent Publication (JP-P2002-238080A) discloses a user terminal used in provision of information service by using portable telephones, which enables that information related to a building within a predetermined distance range from a position of the user terminal, service information of a shop in a specific building in sight and the like are acquired and that a movement direction of a user is precisely grasped. The user terminal of Japanese Patent Publication (JP-P2002-238080A) includes a detecting unit, a transmitting unit, a receiving unit, and a display unit. The detecting unit detects positional information that includes latitude, longitude, altitude, a direction, and an inclination angle of the terminal. The transmitting unit transmits the positional information detected by the detecting unit, to a server. The receiving unit, concerning the positional information transmitted by the transmitting unit, receives service information corresponding to at least a piece of three-dimensional space information including positional information among a plurality of pieces of three-dimensional space retrieval range information transmitted by the server and including latitude, longitude, altitude, and a bubble diameter of an object corresponding to three-dimensional space. The display unit displays the service information received by the receiving unit.
Japanese Patent Publication (JP-P2006-134340A) discloses a server used in provision of information service by using portable telephones, which enables that information related to a building within a predetermined distance range from a position of a user terminal, service information of a shop in a specific building in sight and the like are acquired and that a movement direction of a user is precisely grasped. The server of Japanese Patent Publication (JP-P2006-134340A) has a database, an extracting unit, and a providing unit. The database holds bubble data correlating space range information in three-dimensional space to retrieval information for obtaining service information to be provided. The extracting unit extracts based on positional information transmitted from the user terminal, specific retrieval information that corresponds to specific space range information including the positional information among the space range information held by the database. The providing unit provides to the user terminal, specific service information that corresponds to specific retrieval information extracted by the extracting unit.
Japanese Patent Publication (JP-A-Heisei 10-040485) discloses a home monitoring device capable of reporting to a habitant, checking with the eyes of the habitant, and remote-controlling by the habitant when he is away from his/her home. The home monitoring device of Japanese Patent Publication (JP-A-Heisei 10-040485) includes a fire detector, a report processing unit, a monitoring camera, and a monitoring processing unit. The fire detector detects change in a physical phenomenon such as smoke based on fire and sends a fire signal to a receiver. The report processing unit has a report addressee storage unit and a report data storage unit. The report addressee storage unit stores a report addressee of a portable terminal in advance. The report data storage unit stores report data. The report processing unit, based on the fire signal from the fire detector, calls the portable terminal set as an addressee in the report addressee storage unit through a public line, and sends the report data set in the report data storage unit when calling the portable terminal. In response to a reception of calling from a predetermined information terminal through a public line, the monitoring camera sends images taken by the monitoring camera to the information terminal. When receiving a camera control signal from the information terminal, the monitoring processing unit outputs a control signal to the monitoring camera based on the camera control signal.
However, according to those inventions, an internal image or an external image of a target object, which is arbitrarily designated by a user with the use of a terminal, can not be provided while providing a sense of see-through to the user.